Adjustable antenna structure



May 5, 1959 Jv. KLANCNIK, JR

- ADJUSTABLE ANTENNAA STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 3, 1957 I i# q H wt U - INVENTOR, FRANK J. KLANcNiK, JR;

` ATTY.

United States Patent O Y ADJUSTABLE ANTENNA STRUCTURE Frank J. Klancnik, Jr., Chicago, Ill., assignor to Hi-Lo TV Antenna Corp., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 3, 1957, Serial No. 632,290

13 Claims. (Cl. 343-747) The antenna structure of the present invention has been designed for use primarily in connection with the reception of short wave electrical radiation of unlike frequency in the broad high frequency area of television reception, the structure being particularly well adapted for indoor use as a portable structure wherein the antenna may be placed directly on the top of the television receiver cabinet or, if desired, moved away from the receiver and placed on a nearby table or the like if the owner nds that more satisfactory results are attainable with the structure so positioned. The invention is, however, capable of other uses and the present antenna structure may, if desired, with or without suitable modication, be utilized for the reception of electrical radiation in bands other than that assigned to the broadcasting of television signals, as well as being positioned, at, near or remote from the receiving apparatus with which it is associated. Irrespective, however, of the use to which the invention may be put, the essential features thereof are always preserved.

'The invention relates specifically to antenna structures of the general type shown and described in United States Letters Patent to Klancnik et al., No. 2,495,579, dated January 24, 1950 for Antenna, and over which structure the present one is an improvement. The antenna structure shown in the above mentioned patent is of the indoor dipole variety and the principle of its operation is predicated upon the use of a principle component having a resonant frequency responsive to signals of a selected frequency, and an auxiliary component having a resonant frequency responsive to signals of a lower frequency. The two components are electrically isolated from each other but they are inductively coupled in such a manner that both sets of signals maybe effectively received and applied to the input of the television. receiver without undesired interference. Accordingly, the principal antenna component is electrically connected directly to the input of the television receiver or other receiving apparatus for transmission thereto of signals of relatively high frequency and the signals of lower frequency to which the principal antenna component ordinarily is not responsive are induced in the principal antenna component by the auxiliary component so that they also may be transmitted to the receiver. This principle of operation has come to be known as the Hi-Lo operation principle and, in the present antenna structure, it has, with modification, been adhered to.

it is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an antenna structure which-operates upon the basic principle briefly outlined above and having associated therewith novel manually operable adjusting,4 means whereby the resonant frequency of the antenna structure as a whole may be varied at will to render the structure more effectively responsivev to signals of differing frequencies. In carrying out this object the invention contemplates the construction of the principal an-l tenna component in the form of a split dipole element 2,885,674 Patented May 5, 1959 ice of rod-like design, each section or leg thereof having individually associated therewith an inductively coupled coil element, the two coil elements constituting the secondary or auxiliary antenna component. The auxiliary antenna component may be electrically disasso ciated from the principal component but it is within the scope of the present invention to maintain electrical connection between the two components, providing such connection exists at the split dipole terminals where `a region of negligible voltage exists in either section. Means are provided for individually varying the angle of acceptance of either or both composite dipole sections, with each section being capable of universal pivotal or swinging movement throughout a wide solid angle to produce an infinite number of tuning or impedance matching effects. Additionally, means are provided for varying the effective length of either or both composite dipole sections, a single manual adjusting operation on either composite section being operative to increase the effective length of both the principal antenna component section and of its associated auxiliary component section.

In carrying outl the above mentioned object, the invention contemplates t'he construction of each principal antenna component in the form of a longitudinally extensible dipole rod having telescopic sections and the construction of the associated auxiliary component section in the form of a helically wound coil of spring wire material. The coil surrounds and is coaxial with the telescopic rod and has its ends secured to the opposite ends of the rod and preferably electrically inv sulated therefrom. Thus, as the ends of the -rods are l a part of this specification a 'preferred embodiment of moved toward or away from each other to shorten or lengthen the rod respectively, the longitudinal extent of the helically 4Wound coil is correspondingly varied with the pitch of the individual coil turns being uniformly decreased or increased as the case may be, while the coil strand length is maintained constant. In this man` ner, the rod section and its surrounding coil are maintained coextensive with each other in all of the adjustedv positions of which the antenna structure is capable of assuming.

It is a further object of the invention, in a structure of the character briefly outlined above, to provide a novel means for effectively locking the two sections of each principal dipole antenna component in their effective extended position of use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at as the. followingdescription ensues.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawing `forming the invention has been shown.

In this drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in section, of an antenna structure constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; l Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantiallyy along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in par?l ticular to Fig. l, the antenna structure illustrated herein is designated in its entire-ty at lil and it involves in' its general organization a base or platform 12 of inverted cup-shape design which may be formed of a suitable plastic material. The base 12 is generally of rectangular configuration in horizontal cross vsection and is formed with an upper dome-like portion having a flat narrow f apex 14 from which there slopes downwardly and outwardly on opposite sides thereof a pair of at inclined portions 16. A depending apron 18 extends around the base structure and constitutes the side walls thereof. At the four corners of the base structure there are pro- .vide'd internal ribs 22 which may be drilled to accom- 'modate therein reception of the shank portion of conventional anti-friction foot members 24.

Formed centrally in each of the flat portions 16 of the base 12 is an opening 26, the openings being defined by a pair of relatively short depending cylindrical bosses 28. Each opening 26 has mounted for pivotal swinging movement therein one of a pair of composite antenna assemblies,'the two assemblies being designated in their entirety at 30 and 32,-respectively. YSince the two assemblies 30 and 32A are identical in their construction, it is thought that a description of one of them will sulice for the other.: z .The present antenna structure comprises a principal twofp'art dipole component consisting of two extensible and contractible rod-like elements 34, one of which is associated with each of the two assemblies 30 and 32, an auxiliary component inductively coupled to the principal component and consisting of two helical spring wire coils 36, one for each of the assemblies 30 and 32, and means for mounting and supporting the principal and auxiliary components of each assembly in their operative physical and electrical relationshipv with respect to eachother and with respect to the base 12. Each section 34 of the principal antenna component comprises a basesupportedrlower outer tubular rod part 38 and a distal inner tubular rod part 40,.the latter partbeing telescopically received within the outer end of the lower tubular part 38. The inner distal part 40 is -movable between a retracted position wherein a major portion thereof is contained within the outer part 38 and an extendedposition wherein a major portion thereof is projected outwardly of the inner part, the retracted and advanced positions ofthe part 40 being portrayed at the left and right hand sides of Fig. 1, respectively.

The lower end of the outer tubular part 38 is supported from the base 12 by means of a ball and socket assembly designated in its entirety at 42 by means of which not only is the rod assembly 38, 40 mounted for universal swinging movement relative to the base 12 but also by means of which the rod assembly may be electrically connected to a suitable transmission line which maybe operatively connected to the input of the television receiver or other receiving apparatus with which the antenna structure is associated. The ball and socket assembly or connection 42 forms no part of the present invention and no claim is made herein to any novelty associated with the same, such a connection being fully shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 631,815, filed on December 3l, l956, which issued as` Patent No. 2,849,712 on August 26, 1958 for Antenna Structure. For a full understanding of such a ball and socket connection, reference may be had to this latter mentioned application and, for purposes of description herein it is deemed necessary merely to point out that the connection includes a metal socket member 46 xedly supported within the opening 26 and having a ball member 48 received therein through which the.

proximate end of the rod part 38 extends so that it makes sliding electrical Contact with the inner wall of the socket provided in the member 46, suitable spring means being provided for normally urging the rod end into such frictional sliding contact. The degree of such frictional contact is sufficiently great that the rod assembly 38, 40 will remain in a static condition in any of the angular positions to which it may manually be moved. The ball member 48 may be formed of an insulating material or it may be formed of metal and it is provided with a neck portion 50 having an annular groove 52 therein. The lower end of the coil 36 is looped as at 54 around the neck portion 50 within the groove 52 and the outer or distal end of the coil is similarly looped as at 56 around a cap member 58 of insulating material which is telescopically received over the extreme outer end of the rod part 40. The helically wound coil 36 is normally collapsed or, in other words, in its free state the adjacent convolutions of the coil 36 are in contiguity and thus when the coil is assembled upon the rod assembly 38, 40 it will be extended so that the various convolutions thereof are separated as shown in connection with either assembly 30 or 32, By such an arrangement the spring wire coil 36 serves to normally urge the distal rod part 40 toward its retracted position as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1. 'j y According to the present invention, means are provided for latching the outer distal rod part 40 in its extended position, such means being best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of the tubular rod -38 is formed .witha reduced portion 60 providing a tapered or frusto-conical shoulder 62. The rod 40 extends vthrough the reduced'portion 60 and the open inner end of the rod has received therein the shank portion 64 of a combined latch-anchoring and stop member 66 in the form of a plug of plastic material having an enlarged head portion 68 of a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the rod 38. The inner end of the rod 40 is crimped as at 70 inwardly so'as to securely retain the plug 66 within the end of the rod. The plug 66 serves as a limit stop to prevent removal of the inner rod 40 from the outer rod 36 as well as to determine the limit of outward movement of the rod 4l) relative to the rod 36. The plug A6.6 also serves as an anchoring device for a latch member 72 by means of which the rod 40 is maintained in' its extended position, all in a manner that will now be set` forthin detail.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the latch member 72 is in the form of a bent' piece of spring steel wire of generally U-shape configuration having a' reverse bend 74 providing on one side of the bend a straight section or leg 76, and on the other side thereof an irregular leg including a straight section 77 in which there is interposed medially thereof a displaced latch portion proper in the form of an inclined portion 78. The portion 78 deviates at a 80 and at its inner end by a relatively large angle bend 82. The inner end of the leg or section 76 passes through a radial slot84 formed in the enlarged head 68 of the plug member 66 and is turned laterally as at 86 so as to underlie the plug member. The crimped portion 70 of the tubular rod 40 serves to retain the lower end region of y the leg 77 within the slot 84 and thus xedly retain the latch member 72 in position within the rod 40. The rod 40 is formed with an elongated slot 88 in the lower regions thereof and through which slot the latch portion 78 of the member 72 is adapted to normally extend. It will be understood, of course, that in the illustrated position of the latch member 72 in Fig. 2, the member 72 is under spring tension with the two legs 76 and 77 thereof confined within the bore provided within the tubular rod 40 so that the latch portion 78 is forcibly projected through the slot 88 with which it is in register.

From the above description it will be seen that when the rod 40 is in its fully extended position as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 4, the enlarged head portion 68 of the plug member 66 bears against the shoulder the 62 and limits the outward movement ofthe rod 40 relative to the rod 36. The latch portion proper 78 of the latch member 72 extends radially outwardly through the slot 88 so that the angle bend 82 directly overlies the lower edge of the slot and maintains the rod 40 as a4 whole from being moved inwardly into its retracted telescopic relation within the rod 36 under the inuence of moderate degrees of inward thrust upon the rod. The leg portion 76 lies ush with the inner wall of the bore formed in the rod 40 and applies tension to the reverse bend 74 soas to assist in forcing the latch'portion 78 of the member 72 to its extended position wherein it projects through the slot 88.

In order to move the outer rod part 40 to its retracted position within the proximate rod part 38 it is merely necessary to engage the latch portion 78 and rod 40 between the thumb and forenger and compress the latch portion so that the leg portion 77 yields to the pressure and causes the angle bend 82 to clear the lower edge of the slot 88, after which the rod 40 may readily be pushed into the rod 38 until it reaches its fully retracted position.

As soon as the slot 78 moves into the confines of the tubular rod 33, the portion of the latch portion 78 of greatest amplitude of displacement frictionally bears against the inner wall of the rod 38 and restricts or retards the sliding movement of the rod 40 relative -to the rod 38 so that in the event of extreme looseness between the two rods, there will be good electrical contact between the same in any desired position of adjustment of the rods. Since the spring wire coil 36 is under tension at al1 times, the tendency is for the coil to urge the distal rod part 40 to its retracted position. In the event that an intermediate position of the rod 40 is desired, the frictional engagement of the latch portion 78 of the member 72 with the inner surface of the bore formed in the rod 40 will serve to maintain the rod part 40 in any position of adjustment. It is to be noted that the angle bend 82 is of such inclination that when a material degree of inward thrust is applied to the rod 40, the camming action of this bend with the edge of the slot 88 will suffice to flex the leg 77 and allow the latch portion 78 to clear the slot 88 as previously described.

In the operation of the antenna structure, the primary dipole component rod sections are adapted to resonate in response to signals of a predetermined frequency such as exist in the high frequency television band. The auxiliary component consisting of the helically wound coils 36 respond to signals of a frequency different from that to which the primary component is responsive, as, for example, signals in the low frequency television band. High frequency signals received by the primary component are transferred to the input of the television receiver by means of electrical conductors 90, the ends of which maybe anchored to terminal screws 92 provided on the underneath surface of the socket members 46 and which may be incorporated in the usual at lead-in type of transmission cable 94. Low frequency signals received by the auxiliary component are transferred by induction to the primary component and from thence they are transmitted through the conductors 90 to the input of the receiving apparatus.

In the use of the antenna apparatus of the present invention, it is contemplated that the composite structures 30 and 32 shall be adjusted to either their fully retracted positions or that they shall be fully extended since it has been found that satisfactory reception of present day allocated television signals will be obtained with the antenna structure in either of these two positions, the more critical adjustment of the structure being dependent upon the angular positioning of the assemblies. If desired, however, the dipole assemblies 34 may be adjusted to any desired intermediate positions. Generally speaking, lengthening of the dipole rods 34 or increasing the angle between them will render the antenna structure as a whole responsive to signals of a lower frequency. Shortening the rods or decreasing the angle between them will render the antenna structure as a whole responsive to signals of a higher frequency.

In compliance with title 35, U.S. Code, section 22, a preferred form of the invention has been shown in the drawing and described herein, but it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific disclosure made and that the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

Having= thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:

1. Antenna structure comprising in combination a base member, a pair of axially extensible and contractible rods forming a principal dipole antenna component, vmeans pivotally connecting the inner ends of said rods to the base member at spaced points thereon whereby the rods may be individually swung throughout a relative wide angle between positions of wide divergence and positions of parallelism, a flexible helical wire coil encompassing each rod axially and coextensively and through which the rod extends centrally, means for securing the opposite ends of said coil to the opposite ends respectively of the extensible rod whereby the coil is constrained to follow the expanding and contracting movements of the rod so that the coil will become axially expanded when the rod is extended and axially contracted when the rod is contracted, and means for electrically connecting the inner ends of said extensible rods to the terminals of a transmission line.

2. Antenna structure comprising in combination a base member, a pair of axially extensible and contractible rods forming a principal dipole antenna component, means swivelly connecting the inner ends of said rods to the base member at spaced points thereon whereby the rods may be individually swung throughout a relative Vwide solid angle between positions of wide divergence and positions of parallelism, a flexible helical wire coil encompassing each rod axially and coextensively and through which the rod extends centrally, means for securing the opposite ends of said coil to the opposite ends respectively of the extensible rod whereby the coil is constrained to follow the expanding and contracting movements of the rod so that the coil will become axially expanded when the rod is extended and axially contracted when the rod is contracted, and means for electrically connecting the inner ends of said extensible rods to the terminals of a transmission line.

3. Antenna structure comprising in combination a base member formed of insulating material, a pair of axially extensible: rods forming a principal dipole antenna cornponent, a ball and socket connection between the inner end of each rod and the base whereby the rods may be swung throughout a relatively wide solid angle between positions of wide divergence and positions of parallelism, a exible helical wire coil encompassing each rod axially and coextensively and through which the rod extends centrally, means for securing the opposite ends of said coil to the opposite ends respectively of the extensible rod whereby the coil is constrained to follow the expanding and contracting movements of the rod so that the coil will become axially elongated when the rod is extended and axially shortened when the rod is contracted, and means for electrically connecting the inner end of each rod to one terminal of a dual lead transmission line.

4. Antenna structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said securing means for the distal end of the coil serves to electrically insulate said end from the distal end of the ro 5. Antenna structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said securing means is in the form of a cap member of insulating material telescopically received over the distal end of the rod and to which member the distal end of the coil is secured.

6. Antenna structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises a cap member of insulating material telescopically received over the distal endof the rod and having a circumferential groove formed therein, the distal end of said coil being looped around the cap member and confined within the groove.

7. Antenna structure comprising in combination a base member formed of insulating material, a pair of axially extensible and contractible rods forming a principal antenna component, means swivelly connecting the inner ends of said composite rods to the base member at spaced pointsfhereon'whereby the rods may be swung throughout a relatively 'wide solid angle between positionsof wide .divergence and positions of parallelism, .each rod comprising a proximate tubular rod section and a distal rod section telescopically received within the proximate rod section and slidable through the distal Vend .of the latter section between a retracted position wherein the same has .a major vportion thereof disposed lwithin the contines of the proximate section and an extended position wherein the same has a major portion thereof disposed exteriorly of the contines of the proximate section, a exible helical wire coil encompassing each composite rod axially and coextensively and through which the rod extends centrally, means for securing one end of said coil to the distal end of the distal rod section of said composite rod, means for securing the other -end of said coil to `the proximate end of the proximate rod section of said composite rod whereby the coil `is constrained 'to follow the expanding and contracting movements of the rod as well as the swinging movements of the same, and means for `electrically connecting the proximate end of each proximate rod section to one 'terminal of a dual lead transmission line.

8. .Antenna structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein said securing means for said one end of the coil Acomprises a cap member of insulating material telescopically received over the distal end of the distal rod section and to which membersaid one end of the coil is secured.

9. Antenna structure as set forth in claim v7 wherein said coil is formed of'spring material with the-coil serving to bias the rod section which it surrounds toward itscontracted condition.

10. Antenna structure comprising in combination a base member formed of insulating material, a pair of axially extensible and contractible 'rods forming a principal antenna component, means vswivelly connecting the inner ends of said composite lrods to the base member at spaced points thereon whereby `the rods maybe swung throughout a relatively wide solid angle between positions of wide divergence and positions of parallelism, -each `rod comprising a proximate tubular rod `section and a distal rod section telescopica'lly received within 'the proximate rod section and slidable through the ldistal end of the latter section between a retracted `position wherein the same has a `major portion thereof disposed within the confines of the proximate section and an extended position wherein the same has a major portion thereof disposed exteriorly of the confines of the proximate section, a exible helical Wire coil encompassing each composite rod axially and coextensive'ly and through which the rod extends centrally, means for securing one end of said coil tothe distal end of the distal lrod section of vsaid composite rod, means for securing the other end lof :said coil to the proximate end o'fthe proximate `rod section of said composite rod wherebythe coil is constrained vto 'follow 'the expanding and contracting ymovements ofthe lrocl `as well as the swinging movements of the same, latch means for maintaining said distal rod section in its extended position, and means for electrically connecting the proximate end of leach proximate rod section to one terminal of a dual lead transmission line.

ll. Antenna structure comprising in combination a base member formed of insulating material, a pair of axially extensible and contractible rods forming a principal antenna component, means swivelly connecting the inner ends of said composite rods to the base member .at spaced points thereon 'whereby 'the 'rods may be swung v'throughout *a relatively "wide solid angle between positions of wide divergence and positions of parallelism, each rod .comprising a `proximate `tubular vrod section and a distal lrod vsection telescopically received `within the proximate rod section and slidable through the distal end of vthe 4latter section between a retracted position wherein the same has -afmajor 'portion thereot disposed lwithin `the contines of 'the proximate section and an extended position wherein 'the same hasa vmajorportionthereof ldisposed yexteriorly of the confines of the proximate section, the distal end region of .said proximate tubular rod section 'being 'reduced 1n diameter to provide an internal annular shoulder, the distal rod -section being tubular and the inner end thereof being provided with means providing a limit stop Vengageable with :said shoulder to determine the extended -position -of the distal rod section, there being a longitudinally extending slot in kone side of said tubular distal rod section, said slot being receivable wholly within the confines ofthe proximate rod section when the distal rod section is in its retracted position and being exposed exteriorly of the proximate rod section when the distal rod section is vin its extended position, an expansible latch member .disposed within the distal rod section and having a portion therof normally projecting through said slot whereby when the distal rod section is in its extended position said portion of the latch member overlies the free end of the proximate rod section to `maintain the distal rod section in such extended position, said portion of the latch member being capable of withdrawal into the contines of the distal rod section to release said latter section for movement to its retracted postion, a iiexible helical wire coil encompassing each composite rod axially and coextensively and through which the rod extends centrally, means for securing one end of said coil to the distal end of the distal rod section of said composite rod, means for securing the other end of said coil to the proximate end of the proximate rod. section of said composite rod whereby the coil is constrained to follow the expanding and contracting movements of the rod as well as the swinging movements of the same, and means for electrically connecting the proximate end of each proximate rod section to one terminali of a dual'lead transmission line.

l2. Antenna structure comprising a 'base member, a

'- pair of axially extensible and contractible composite rods forming a principal dipole antenna component, each rod comprising a tubular outer rod section and an inner rod section telescopica'lly received within said outer section and slidable through one end of the outer rod section between a retracted position wherein the composite 'rod is contracted and a projected position wherein the composite lrod is extended, means securing the proximate end of each outer rod section to said base member, a ilexible helical spring wire coil encompassing each composite rod axially and coextensively and having one end anchored to the free end of the inner rod section and its other end xed relative to the proximate end of the outer rod section and in the vicinity thereof, said coil being under tension whereby the inner rod section is `normally urged toward its retracted position, cooperating latch means on said rod sections for maintaining said inner rod Vin its lprojected position, and means for electrically connecting Vthe proximate ends of said outer 'rod sections to the terminals ot' a transmission line.

'13. Antenna structure as set forth lin claim 12 wherein the `inner rod section is tubular, a plug tting within the proximate end of the tubular inner rod section and having an enlarged head, the distal end region of said outer rod section being reduced in diameter to provide an internal annular shoulder engageable with said enlarged head to determine the extended position of the inner :rod section, there being a .longitudinally extending slot in one side of said tubular inner rod section, said slot being receivable Ywholly within the contines of the outer rod section when the inner rod ,section `is in its retracted position Aand being xexposed exteriorly of the Youter rod 4section when the inner rod Ysection is in its extended position, an expansible latch member disposed within the inner rod section `and movable bodily therewith, said latch member being in the form of a spring wire having one end ,thereof anchored in said plug and having a portion thereof normally projecting through said slot whereby 'when the 'inner rod section is in its extended 4position ,said projecting portion of the latch lmember over-lies the tree end of the outer rod vsection to maintain the ,distal aeeam 9 10 rod section yieldingly in such extend position, said over- References Cited in the le of this patent lying portion of the latch member being inclined relative UNITED STATES PATENTS to the longitudinal axis of the outer rod section, whereby the application of manual thrust to the inner rod sec- 798783 Grene Sept 5 1905 tion tending to force the same inwardly of the outer rod 5 2495579 Ferns et al Jan' 24 1950 section will effect a camming action on said latch mem- FOREIGN PATENTS ber to release the mner rod section for movement to its 978,295 France Nov. 22, 1950 retracted position. 

